Organized Religion?
I saw a book the other day called Why We Love the Church: In Praise of Institutions and Organized Religion. I haven't read it yet but I will. It seems to me after 10 years of college ministry there is a tenor of disdain for organized religion. What does Jesus think of Organized Religion? Did He organize a religion? Did he go to church? Does he like the chruch? Does Jesus "love Jesus and hate the church"? Does he agree with the sentiment that I can love God but stay in bed on Sunday mornings? What does he think about all the showiness and ritual and tradition? Where would he be on Sundays? Would he avoid potlucks? Baptisms? The Lord's Supper - oh, I guess he has to be at that one since it's in His honor? Would he dress up?
Growing up in a very "churchy church" it's a small miracle I am a minister. I hated church and all things churchy. I hated organs, pianos, preaching, hymns, pews (I even scratched teeth marks in one out or boredom), dressing up (couldn't stand blue blazers in the South), invitaions, but I did like potlucks for the record.
There is a big push, almost bragging rights, a mantra of "non-denominational" or "inter-denominational" or "we just believe in Jesus here but will never form a committee, enact discipline, or tell you anything doctrinal you may disagree with" churches. Some of this has been fed from the christian Jack Kerouacs making their mark. Even in the church plant I'm involved in I helped institutionalize (irony of ironies) the phrase we throw around like a frisbee - Being the Church vs. Having a Church. Hey, I believe in the church invisible, unviersal and organic and that appeals to me way more than the chruch visible, local and organized.
Here's the problem and I will throw out many spontaneous (since that is valued so among us):
Jesus founded the church, he organized it with officers, structure, discipline, accountability way beyond the local body much less a few individuals agreeing on something in thier living room, chalked it with sacraments and songs, mission and methods. He built the dang thing and said not even the strogest strong man can destroy it. He went to church when he was alive. He sat under teaching - bad teaching that was moralistic and missed the point (Him!). He sang a traditional hymn and followed rituals he created. He created the office of preaching and said that faith can't exist without it. He even put up with Pharisees and Teachers of the law (said hard things he was qualified to say - we want to say things without ever earning the qualifications to say them). He wept over hypocrisy and ultimately died for it all the while warning us to turn from it or be damned. What strikes me is when I find a good critic of organized religion if I sniff enough I will usually find a hypocrite. I don't need accountability (if I had it I might be forced to quit masturbating or sleeping around). I don't need preaching (if I had it I might have to turn from my idols and deny myself instead of denying myself nothing). I don't need traditions, much less old hymns sung badly (but I'll stand up for the 7th inning stretch and sing with a bunch of people I don't know badly).
Look - I am all for reforming the Church - hence "REFORMED University Ministries." I am all for crossing denominational lines. I am all for killing bad traditions and fighting for the gospel to be recovered in dead churches. But, I am not for throwing the baby out with the bath water, ignoring scripture, denying Jesus just so we can live however we want.
Are you bored with church? Maybe it's your heart. Are you tired of hypocrisy? Maybe you are a hypocrite. Do you hate singing? You make music to someone. Do you hate God's people? He doesn't and He promises to be with them whenever they get together, even when it's a called meeting. I think that is called orgainzed.
Did Jesus like Orgainzed Religion? Read the book and I bet they say it much better than I ever could!
Growing up in a very "churchy church" it's a small miracle I am a minister. I hated church and all things churchy. I hated organs, pianos, preaching, hymns, pews (I even scratched teeth marks in one out or boredom), dressing up (couldn't stand blue blazers in the South), invitaions, but I did like potlucks for the record.
There is a big push, almost bragging rights, a mantra of "non-denominational" or "inter-denominational" or "we just believe in Jesus here but will never form a committee, enact discipline, or tell you anything doctrinal you may disagree with" churches. Some of this has been fed from the christian Jack Kerouacs making their mark. Even in the church plant I'm involved in I helped institutionalize (irony of ironies) the phrase we throw around like a frisbee - Being the Church vs. Having a Church. Hey, I believe in the church invisible, unviersal and organic and that appeals to me way more than the chruch visible, local and organized.
Here's the problem and I will throw out many spontaneous (since that is valued so among us):
Jesus founded the church, he organized it with officers, structure, discipline, accountability way beyond the local body much less a few individuals agreeing on something in thier living room, chalked it with sacraments and songs, mission and methods. He built the dang thing and said not even the strogest strong man can destroy it. He went to church when he was alive. He sat under teaching - bad teaching that was moralistic and missed the point (Him!). He sang a traditional hymn and followed rituals he created. He created the office of preaching and said that faith can't exist without it. He even put up with Pharisees and Teachers of the law (said hard things he was qualified to say - we want to say things without ever earning the qualifications to say them). He wept over hypocrisy and ultimately died for it all the while warning us to turn from it or be damned. What strikes me is when I find a good critic of organized religion if I sniff enough I will usually find a hypocrite. I don't need accountability (if I had it I might be forced to quit masturbating or sleeping around). I don't need preaching (if I had it I might have to turn from my idols and deny myself instead of denying myself nothing). I don't need traditions, much less old hymns sung badly (but I'll stand up for the 7th inning stretch and sing with a bunch of people I don't know badly).
Look - I am all for reforming the Church - hence "REFORMED University Ministries." I am all for crossing denominational lines. I am all for killing bad traditions and fighting for the gospel to be recovered in dead churches. But, I am not for throwing the baby out with the bath water, ignoring scripture, denying Jesus just so we can live however we want.
Are you bored with church? Maybe it's your heart. Are you tired of hypocrisy? Maybe you are a hypocrite. Do you hate singing? You make music to someone. Do you hate God's people? He doesn't and He promises to be with them whenever they get together, even when it's a called meeting. I think that is called orgainzed.
Did Jesus like Orgainzed Religion? Read the book and I bet they say it much better than I ever could!
Comments
Join the conversation. Post your comment below
anonymous January 14, 2010
I do not believe God intended for the church to be what it has become today. On paper we're united in Christ's love but in practice we find comfort, even solidarity, in agreeing on relatively insignificant "issues"- homosexuality, women in the ministry, abortion, etc. The church has become incredibly self-righteous on such political issues and the bible belt seems to perpetuate its own stereotypes one Sunday at a time. The very stuff that makes us unique as human beings is being snuffed out in the name of uniformity. Reforming the church in this part of the country is all but a lost cause. You can't reform anything when everyone is so belligerently closed-minded. It is my opinion that Christ looks down at such churches and says, "Guys, you're missing the point. I love you but you're becoming distracted by all these trivial pursuits. Leave it alone and focus on the stuff that truly matters in the end. The rest will work itself out according to my plan. Trust me, not yourselves. Stop pulling my Word out of context to bolster your own agenda, and be careful getting off that high-horse."
Louise March 29, 2010
After 5 years in a tremendous worldwide Bible Study, I have come to believe and find that all traditional church services need to be completely revamped, if you will. Having experienced many different denominations, I see clearly that all start with an hour or so of education and then an hour of service/sermon. Many times, the education hour is on books and discussions outside of actual Bible Study. In addition, most people attend the main service instead of the Education hour and I think you could attend a lifetime of sermons and never truly understand God's nature, his divine plan and hear the holy spirit speaking to you. In five years of intense bible study where we study one book/topic at a time (Genesis, Romans, Matthew, Life of Moses, John and upcoming Isaiah, Acts of the Apostles, Israel and the Minor prophets), my life is forever changed and I understand more about God's plan, his character, what he expects from me and how he speaks directly to me than any Sunday church service ever could. There is so much depth to what is in the Bible and the church just can't seem to scratch the service. I am wondering if I am the only Christian that recognizes our current models' failings. My study meets for a two hour period once a week and would change lives if the church program on Sundays would be organized the same way.